Completely erasing the existence of someone who once held a considerable status and position, with a fairly wide network of contacts, was undoubtedly difficult.
Even for nobles, accomplishing such a feat required elaborate arrangements, extraordinary schemes, and sufficient time.
Flora was well aware of this.
Lying under the covers, avoiding the surveillance’s gaze and calming herself down, she began to form some ideas on how to escape this villa, which wasn’t exactly an impenetrable fortress.
First, she needed to clarify one question.
【Would Moliyaer and the others say I committed suicide, or that I ran away?】
They had gone through all the trouble of taking her away from her parents and turning her into what she was now.
Plus, Linko had said the gala was basically a bounty event for her.
So, it was most likely the latter.
Thinking this way, Flora found an opportunity she could manipulate.
Moliyaer and the others probably didn’t know that, as a healer, Flora’s skills extended beyond healing.
Before joining the Jade Heart Squad, she had actually planned to become a pharmacologist.
The people of this other world still didn’t understand how to use precise instruments for medicine-making.
At most, they used crude alchemy cauldrons.
Flora didn’t know if there were others like herself here.
But based on knowledge from two worlds, she had built a theoretical framework and, with customized instruments she crafted herself, she had been able to produce special medicines for certain injuries long ago.
It was ironic.
Initially, to avoid burdening her family, she chose to borrow money to conduct independent research, hoping to prove herself by earning a stable income through making medicines.
Just as things were starting to take off, Moliyaer invited her to join the Jade Heart Squad.
She had chosen passion over work — so naive and idealistic.
Since then, she basically stopped developing new medicines, only maintaining her most perfected frostbite medicine as an extra income source and a way to deal with some merchants and adventurers.
The supplier she dealt with most frequently was Rustgold Trading, the largest supply company in the city.
It was the same merchant company where the young lady who refused to lend her money but directly provided her the initial instruments worked.
Flora repaid this investment by regularly supplying them with batches of special medicines.
There were many similar relationships, and Flora had thus accumulated a group of friends maintained through these business interests.
Over time, even if Moliyaer and the others didn’t take any action, those people would notice Flora Camuel suddenly disappearing.
Her original plan was to secure support from her parents, completely break away from the Jade Heart Squad, and then rely on those friends and her pharmaceutical skills to start anew and live a relatively peaceful life.
She had delayed the regular delivery schedule for this purpose.
But the subsequent incident made it impossible to fulfill the deliveries.
So as long as Moliyaer and the others didn’t declare her dead, she still had a tiny thread of hope.
Even if she couldn’t guarantee everyone would care about her whereabouts.
【If it’s a gala they’re hosting, inviting a bunch of nobles as usual, no doubt Rustgold Trading will be on the guest list. Hopefully, I’ll get to see Meifei there.】
Among all those friends, the most reliable at the moment was the supplier in Dolen City.
Realizing this, Flora let out a slight breath of relief.
With this small hope, she could convince herself to calmly endure the etiquette lessons given by that head maid.
“I just hope they don’t cause any more trouble.”
Relaxing, she murmured softly under the covers.
“Don’t… cause trouble?”
“?!”
The voice suddenly came from behind, startling Flora so much she immediately sprang up, curling into a ball reflexively and wrapping herself tightly in the blanket, retreating to the corner of the bed.
Moliyaer, wearing a light purple long dress, had somehow appeared in the room and now stood before her bed.
“How much more do you want to humiliate me?”
Somewhat calmer, Flora grit her teeth and shouted, warily watching the woman in front of her.
She no longer intended to ask why she was being treated this way.
In her heart, such behavior was pointless—Moliyaer had become utterly unreasonable.
The noble lady showed no intention of explaining either.
She only leaned slightly forward, kneeling on her left knee on the bed, naturally placing her hands on either side of Flora, who was curled up under the blanket, slowly pressing her down.
She remained silent, responding to Flora’s guarded gaze with eyes as calm and still as water.
An innate sense of dominance washed over Flora, who shrank away in her posture, completely overwhelmed.
“Enough!”
Unable to bear the strange feeling any longer, Flora struggled and kicked.
Though her legs were weak, her foot easily connected with Moliyaer’s abdomen.
Strangely, the arrogant swordswoman softened as if she had lost all strength, collapsing on top of her.
But even so, the weight pressing down on Flora was enough to keep her immobilized.
“Moliyaer, what exactly do you want!”
She didn’t want any intimate interactions with this woman.
She hadn’t forgotten how not long ago she’d been picked up like a cat and had her belly pinched.
The attack wasn’t strong, but the humiliation was unbearable.
She simply could not accept it.
So what little trick did this woman have in store now?
But there was no response.
Moliyaer remained completely silent, as if fainted.
Pressed face-to-face, Flora could feel the slow rise and fall of her breath and hear the faint thump of her heartbeat.
Silence.
She could smell the scent of roses — the perfume essence she had casually distilled while making medicine.
When she had given it to Moliyaer before, the noble girl had shown disgust and mocked her.
Yet now, this woman wore it.
【What exactly is it about me that you hate?】
This question rose in her mind but was quickly suppressed by reason.
Besides the rose fragrance, there was another scent that worried her—the smell of blood.
Her breathing and heartbeat were very weak.
Was she seriously injured?
She actually dared to come to Flora’s room in such a fragile state.
Truthfully, Flora’s feelings were complicated.
“I understand now.”
She muttered helplessly, her awareness synchronizing with her new body’s magical circuits.
The magic energy she easily summoned gathered in her hands as she prepared her most practiced healing spell.
Placing her hand on Moliyaer’s forehead, a warm and gentle golden light flowed slowly from her fingertips into her body.
The blood inside churned and transformed into a solid black mist, violently rebelling as the healing took effect.
A painful memory flashed in Flora’s mind—the noble lady had been attacked during a single day of etiquette training, slashed across the chest and back with bloody wounds.
Flora felt no pity, only regret.
Why couldn’t she have died outside?
Why come back to this villa and make Flora do this?
The painful sensation was quickly suppressed.
For Moliyaer, these wounds were actually not severe.
A good night’s sleep would likely have her up and about.
Flora didn’t understand.
Most likely, it was a deliberate injury for the sake of drama, and by offering treatment, she was merely cooperating with Moliyaer’s desire to perform.
How boring.
“Flora.”
The healing process was simple and swift.
Moliyaer soon regained consciousness, her behavior further convincing Flora this was all an act.
“You still want to heal me.”
Looking up, the silver-haired beauty smiled—a satisfied smile.
Flora stared expressionlessly at Moliyaer still lying atop her, silent.
“Still angry? Honestly, I’m trying my best to treat you well, and I haven’t rejected your affections like before.”
“Using me for your amusement should have limits.”
At that moment, Flora felt like she was transported back to her childhood days with this duke’s daughter.
Moliyaer’s smile brightened, no longer as hypocritical or domineering as in the morning.
She affectionately embraced Flora, softly purring like a kitten, rubbing against her chest.
“It’s so sad—I’m helping you.”
Her tone held no hesitation or doubt.
Flora only regarded this as a sign of incurable delusion.
She couldn’t attempt to understand her logic.
Anyone who could comprehend the way divine beings acted was probably close to becoming one themselves.
Everything was just a performance.
Moliyaer was simply waiting for Flora’s resolve to weaken so she could torment her with even more malicious methods.
“Not happy? But I’m quite happy right now.”
Moliyaer enjoyed Flora’s cold shoulder and her lack of resistance.
Their interaction was like a return to childhood.
But the only one returning to childhood was Moliyaer.
Now, they looked like a little girl happily hugging a meticulously dressed doll.
After some time of affection, Moliyaer finally revealed why she had come to the room.
She bit the ear of the stiff, wooden Flora and whispered in her ear, “You did well not to run away despite what that Elka said.”
The blue-haired girl’s expression cracked slightly.
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